Xi meets U.S. congressional delegation

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with a U.S. congressional delegation led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 9, 2023. [Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan]

BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with the bipartisan delegation of the U.S. Senate led by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer at the Great Hall of the People on Monday.

Xi underlined that the China-U.S. relationship is the most important bilateral relationship in the world. How China and the United States get along will determine the future of humanity. Competition and confrontation is not consistent with the trend of the times. Still less can it fix one's own problems and address the challenges facing the world.

China maintains that the common interests of the two countries far outweigh their differences, and the respective success of China and the United States is an opportunity, rather than a challenge, to each other, Xi said.

He said the "Thucydides Trap" is not inevitable, and Planet Earth is vast enough to accommodate the respective development and common prosperity of China and the United States. Given the high degree of integration between the Chinese and U.S. economies and their closely entwined interests, both countries stand to benefit from each other's development.

Xi said a post-pandemic global recovery, meeting the climate challenge and resolving international and regional hotspots all require China-U.S. coordination and cooperation. As two major countries, China and the United States should demonstrate the broad-mindedness, vision and readiness to rise to the occasion expected by the international community, and act with a sense of responsibility to history, to the people and to the world.

The two countries should properly handle their relations, respect each other, coexist in peace and pursue win-win cooperation. They should work to increase the well-being of the two peoples, and contribute to human progress and world peace and development, Xi said.

Xi pointed out that the Chinese civilization has been developing uninterrupted for more than 5,000 years. It has all along striven to stay abreast with the times, learned from others in the spirit of inclusiveness, and kept to a philosophy of peace that highlights cooperation and exchanges.

China has achieved the twin miracles of rapid economic development and long-term social stability, ended absolute poverty once and for all, and built a moderately prosperous society in all respects. These achievements are possible because the country has found a development path that suits its national conditions, meets the people's expectations and has the people's support, according to Xi.

He said China will keep to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and advance Chinese modernization on all fronts. It will stay committed to peaceful development and work with all countries across the world to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

"China welcomes the visits of more U.S. Congress members to gain a better understanding of China's past, present and future," Xi said, adding that it is hoped that the two legislatures will have more interactions, dialogues and exchanges to increase mutual understanding and make a positive contribution to the stabilization and improvement of the China-U.S. relationship.

Senator Schumer and other members of the delegation expressed their delight to visit the beautiful country of China and their appreciation to the Chinese side for its hospitality, saying that during the visit, they have felt the vigor and potential of China's development.

They shared their views and suggestions on relevant issues in China-U.S. relations, noting that a stable U.S.-China relationship is of vital importance not only to the two countries, but also to world peace and development.

They said China's development and prosperity is good for the American people. The U.S. side does not seek a conflict with China, nor does it seek to decouple. The United States is willing to enhance dialogue and communication with China in an open and candid manner based on mutual respect, responsibly manage the bilateral relationship, and stabilize and strengthen U.S.-China relations.

The U.S. side looks forward to strengthening bilateral trade and investment cooperation with China, and increasing communication and cooperation on such issues as climate change, drug trafficking and regional conflicts, they said.

Wang Yi was present at the meeting.